Breast screening in Canada, 2023-24

Screening experience for First Nations, Inuit, and/or Métis

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Engagement strategies include targeted awareness, collaborating with community champions, participation in community advisory groups, and dedicated screening days for First Nations, Inuit, and Métis individuals.

Community engagement strategies with First Nations, Inuit and/or Métis

P/T Specific community engagement strategies that each jurisdiction has used with First Nations, Inuit and/or Métis governments, organizations, partners or community groups
YT –
NT –
NU –
BC Targeted education/awareness campaigns (e.g., social media): The health promotions team is working in collaboration with First Nations Health Authority and BC Cancer — Indigenous Cancer Control portfolio to create strategies to serve Indigenous communities. Breast screening is included in a community engagement toolkit that can be used by community health champions to provide education and information around the importance of screening in a culturally safe way.
AB Data sharing agreements are being developed with First Nations communities and other groups in order to conduct ongoing assessments and monitoring to inform engagement strategies.
SK Building relationships with community champions and attending community events with presentations targeted to meet community needs.
MB –
ON Regional Cancer Programs (RCPs), including Regional Indigenous Cancer Leads, Indigenous Navigators and Project Coordinators, worked closely with the Indigenous Cancer Care Unit (ICCU) at Ontario Health and Indigenous communities within each region to tailor recruitment strategies to ensure they are appropriate and effective This includes the development of Indigenous-specific educational resources that are translated into Indigenous languages.

Regional Indigenous Cancer Leads have been engaged in expert panels related to new program policies or program improvement to provide perspective specific to Indigenous communities.

In partnership with the RCPs, the ICCU works with Indigenous communities to attend community events, including Pow Wows and health fairs, to share information on cancer screening.

Mobile Screening Coaches in the Hamilton Niagara Haldimand Brant and North West regions visit Indigenous communities to bring screening closer to home.
QC –
NB A member of a First Nations community will be a participant in community advisory/working group(s).
NS A private breast screening clinic was held for members of the Mi’kmaw Friendship Centre at the Halifax clinic. Participants enjoyed the safe screening space and fun atmosphere (as opposed to fear-filled screening appointments). It was such a success that participants requested another similar event be held in the future.

Due to long wait times of booking a screening appointment through the Halifax clinic, The Nova Scotia Breast Screening Program (NSBSP) is holding a few emergency days to book screening mammograms specifically for First Nations individuals from the Mi’kmaw Friendship Centre.

A private breast screening clinic was held in Kentville for Annapolis Valley First Nations individuals in July 2023.
PE –
NL –

Strategies to improve screening participation through understanding and addressing barriers

P/T Strategies jurisdictions have used with First Nations, Inuit and/or Métis communities to identify and reduce barriers to screening participation
YT –
NT Targeted awareness: development of new resources (pamphlets, posters, and FAQs on guidelines, and ”What to Expect When Getting a Mammogram”). In addition, the “What to Expect” document was translated into the 11 official languages of the NT.
NU –
BC BC is working with an Indigenous health promotion specialist to integrate cultural safety in our program. Work is at the beginning stages and more will be shared in the future.
AB Alberta’s Screen Test program has dedicated projects to engage with and support Indigenous breast screening, including collaboration with community leaders/liaisons and community announcements.
SK Strategies include:

  • Development of new resources with inclusive images
  • Direct access (provider not needed to take part in screening)
  • Working with travel coordinators in communities to accommodate group bookings in sites
MB Strategies include:

  • Comprehensive letter campaigns that included an insert translated into 17 languages
  • Interpreter services, including information on available interpreter services and translated documents on most public-facing communications
  • Cancer screening education module created for new international healthcare providers
  • Curriculum designed for educators to use with adults with low literacy (curriculum found on screening website)
  • Translated resources
  • Focus testing with primary care advisory groups and community groups
ON Strategies include:

  • The Indigenous Cancer Care Unit (ICCU) has a number of culturally appropriate educational resources for Indigenous communities related to colorectal cancer screening including Cancer Screening Fact Sheets, Cancer 101 Toolkit and awareness/postcards. Resources were designed and tailored with and for First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples. Breast Screening resources are translated into Indigenous languages.
  • Ontario Health (Cancer Care Ontario) developed a Cancer 101 video for First Nations people. This video gives basic cancer information and answers many common questions about cancer. Other groups that helped make the video are CAREX Canada, the Occupational Cancer Research Centre and the Canadian Cancer Society.
  • The Screening Activity Report (SAR) is an online report, which provides screening data to help family doctors improve their cancer screening rates and appropriate follow-up. The report allows family doctors to quickly find specific cancer screening information for each patient, including those who are overdue or have never been screened. In June 2018, the SAR was expanded to the Sioux Lookout Zone, providing non-patient enrollment model physicians and nurses who provide care to First Nations communities in the region access to their community data. This SAR was developed specifically for the Sioux Lookout municipality and the 27 First Nations communities that reside in the Sioux Lookout Zone.
  • The ICCU advocates to the Non-Insured Health Benefits Program to ensure transportation to cancer screening services are covered.
  • In partnership with Regional Cancer Programs, the ICCU works with Indigenous communities to host community screening events and/or to provide transportation for community members to the nearest breast screening site.
QC –
NB The RHAs who operate breast cancer screening services will implement locally targeted strategies with nearby First Nations communities as appropriate.
NS To address the lack of culturally appropriate breast screening pamphlets, the Nova Scotia Breast Screening Program (NSBSP) consulted with the IWK Health Indigenous Consultant to determine if the need exists. Culturally appropriate breast screening pamphlet will be developed with input from the Mi’kmaw Friendship Centre and from IWK Health translation services.
PE –
NL –

-YT, NU, QC, PE, NL: No information was provided at the time data were collected.

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